CH. 2 - A Living Planet

Ch. 2.1 “The Earth Inside and Out”

The Solar System

• Nine planets and

other celestial bodies

that revolve around a

sun

• Earth is 3rd planet

Earth’s Structure

• Core: solid, very hot, made of iron and nickel

• Mantle: molten rock aka. magma

• Crust: made of tectonic plates

• Plates that rise above ocean waters form the 7 Continents

Above Ground

• Atmosphere: layer of

gases that surround

earth

• Lithosphere: solid

rock surface

• Hydrosphere: water

elements

• Ecosphere/Biosphere:

plants and animals

“Continental Drift Theory”

“Sea Floor Spreading”

• One of the causes

continental drift.

• Occurs over millions

of years

Ch. 2.2

“Bodies of Water and Landforms”

Oceans and Seas

• Oceans:

interconnected body

of salt water

• Covers 71% of planet

• 3 basic motions:

– Current

– Waves

– Tides

Lakes, Rivers, Streams

• Lakes:

– Hold 95% of all fresh water

– Can be both fresh and salt water (Great Salt Lake)

• Rivers and Streams feed water to oceans and lakes

• Drainage basin: area drained by rivers and streams

“Hydrologic Cycle”

• Continuous

circulation of

water between

the:

1. Oceans, Lakes

2. Atmosphere

3. Earth

Ground Water

• Water that is held in

pores of rock

• Water table

– The level at which the

rock is saturated

Landforms

• Naturally formed

features on the

earth

• 2 kinds:

1. Oceanic

2. Continental

Oceanic Landforms

• Seafloor has same

features except below

water

• Continental Shelf:

edge of continent to

deep part of ocean

Continental Landforms

• Relief: difference in elevation from lowest to

highest point

Ch. 2.3

“Internal Forces that shape the earth”

Plate Tectonics

• Pieces of earths crust that float on magma

• Interaction of plates is what shapes the earth

Plate Boundaries

• Plate Boundaries: where plates come in

contact with one another

– 3 Types

1. Divergent

2. Convergent

3. Transform

Divergent boundary

• plates move apart or

spread

• Example is sea floor

spreading

Convergent Boundary

• Plates collide and

either:

1. Dive under

one another

2. Rip up

• Fault: fracture in the

earths crust

Fig 2

Fig 1

Transform boundary

• Plates slide past one

another

• Earthquake: violent

movement of plates

Earthquakes

• Epicenter: surface

mark of quakes

beginning

• Richter scale:

measures amount of

energy released by

an earthquake.

• Tsunami: giant wave

Volcanoes

• Where magma (lava)

pours out of earth

onto the surface

• Ring of Fire: volcanic

zone around the rim

of Pacific Ocean

Ch. 2.4

“External Forces Shaping the earth”

Weathering

• The mechanical-(physical) and chemical

process that changes earth

– Break down rock to form sediment

• 2 forms: A. Mechanical B. Chemical

Mechanical Weathering

• Process that breaks

rock into smaller

pieces

• Ice crystals, plant

roots, drilling are all

examples

Chemical Weathering

• When rock is

changed into

new substance

after reacting to

air or water

– Ex: iron rust

Erosion

• The movement of weathered material

• 3 Kinds:

A. Water B. Wind C. Glacier

Water Erosion • Movement of material through the motion of

water flow through streams, rivers, ocean

currents

-when a river enters the ocean, sediment is

deposited in fan-like landforms called deltas

Wind Erosion • Movement of

material through

the wind

Deposits • New landforms are

created by loess-

– Wind-blown silt and

clay sediment that

produces fertile

soil.

Glacial Erosion

• Glacier: large, long

lasting mass of ice

• Glaciation: changing

of landforms by slow

moving glaciers

– Ridges or hills formed

by glacial rocks are

called a moraine.

Building Soil

• Weathering and

erosion are part of the

process of “building

soil”

• Soil is comprised of

rock, humus, air, and

water

• Humus: organic

material

AVID Cornel

Notes, 7

sentences,

periods

highlighted!

Summary: